An information search results in a number of web pages or documents. When selecting information sources, two factors are critical. First, the information source should be appropriate for the required information. A student who gives a lecture about nutrition and health at a middle school will not benefit greatly from researching a dissertation or thesis, as they contain information that is far too scientific. Furthermore, should you only have access to a DVD player in the presentation room, a videotape will not be of much help.
The second crucial aspect to pay attention to is the reliability of the information source. How objective is the information source? How competent is it? Does it refer to any underlying sources? If so, are you able to find them to verify whether you have arrived at the same conclusion?
To make a good selection from your results list, you will need to be able to evaluate these results based on their quality and relevance.There are many reasons why some sources are suitable, while others are not. For example, information can be biased because the makers think from a certain scientific perspective, a philosophy, a commercial point of view, and so on.
Therefore, always make sure to use different sources and to compare them with one another.
https://pixabay.com/nl/vergrootglas-feiten-onderzoeken-1607160/ - Licensed under CC0 1.0 via Pixabay
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) a form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that allows someone to automatically generate texts, images, and other output by giving a prompt. It is important that you understand how GenAI functions so that you can use it responsibly and retain ownership of your work.
Expand your knowledge after the assignment with the Library Guide Artificial Intelligence. This guide answers questions about the use of AI in teaching and research at green universities of applied sciences, organised into six clear tabs.
With information literacy, it is important to be able to distinguish which information is reliable or unreliable. Anyone can confirm what they want on the Internet. There is no commission that requires information to be accurate or statements to be objective. The difference between commercial information, propaganda and similar sources is not always clear on the Internet either. Therefore, you have to continually research whether information is reliable enough and if you choose to use information found on web pages, you need to be extra careful and consider the role you will give it in your argument or analysis.
A widely used - internationally - tool for assessing information sources is the CRAAP test. By rating the information found on five different criteria, you get an indication of the quality of the information:
CRAAP-test input form
Evaluate sources on reliability and usability with the CRAAP test input form. Answer the questions, giving a score from
1-10. The added score gives you an indication of the quality of the source.
Fake news (pseudo news) and hoaxes (false messages) have been around for a long time, but their spread has been rapid since the rise of social media. Anyone can post content on the internet nowadays. As a result, the lines between news, fake news and advertisements seem to blur. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish them from each other and form an informed opinion.
Why do people actually spread fake news and why do we believe it? What is the danger of fake news and how do you recognize it? What is being done against it and how can you best deal with it yourself? This is what the website Keepin' It Real: Tips & Strategies for Evaluating Fake News, developed by Loyola Marymount University, is about.
The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has prepared the infographic ‘How To Spot Fake News’ below to help you verify a particular news-piece.
IFLA, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons